The 1995 Atlanta Braves, like all the other Major League Baseball clubs, used replacement players for the March spring training. There was a tragic incident in which Braves replacement pitcher Dave Shotkoski was killed while taking an evening walk in West Palm Beach, FL.

After a loss to Montreal on June 13, the Braves were in third, laboring with a 24-20 record, four and a half games behind the Philadelphia Phillies. By June 25, the Braves were in second, but still four and a half behind Philadelphia. That is when they took charge. On July 4, the Braves had a half-game lead on the Phillies. Atlanta was never out of first place the rest of the season.